Pedro observaba inquieto la forma como el ni\u00c3\u00b1o repet\u00c3\u00ada el lanzamiento y la pelota pasaba\u00c2\u00a0 muy lejos de la mascota del catcher. A cada lanzamiento el se\u00c3\u00b1or bajaba un escal\u00c3\u00b3n en la tribuna. Desde el dugout se o\u00c3\u00adan los gritos de los compa\u00c3\u00b1eros de equipo. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sal de ah\u00c3\u00ad Juan. Eres malo como pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
Un viento levant\u00c3\u00b3 varios papeles que subieron en remolino detr\u00c3\u00a1s de la segunda base. Juan se quit\u00c3\u00b3 el guante. Baj\u00c3\u00b3 la mirada hasta hundirla entre las trenzas de los zapatos. Se pas\u00c3\u00b3 los dedos por el sudor del cuello y frot\u00c3\u00b3 la pelota hasta desgastar el cuero. Mientras el manager levantaba la barbilla de Juan y le hac\u00c3\u00ada indicaciones de c\u00c3\u00b3mo deb\u00c3\u00ada agarrar la pelota y como deb\u00c3\u00ada levantar la pierna, un hombre de algunos 50 a\u00c3\u00b1os se acerc\u00c3\u00b3 al se\u00c3\u00b1or que hab\u00c3\u00ada bajado hasta el escal\u00c3\u00b3n m\u00c3\u00a1s pr\u00c3\u00b3ximo al campo.<\/p>\n
__\u00c2\u00bfUsted es el pap\u00c3\u00a1 del pitcher?<\/p>\n
Pedro termin\u00c3\u00b3 de ver como Juan volv\u00c3\u00ada a tirar otra pelota por encima del receptor.\u00c2\u00a0 Se qued\u00c3\u00b3 mirando los cabellos platinados del reci\u00c3\u00a9n llegado.<\/p>\n
__Si. Parece que va a tener que buscar otra posici\u00c3\u00b3n.<\/p>\n
El hombre dio dos palmadas en el hombro de Pedro.<\/p>\n
__Todav\u00c3\u00ada es muy pronto. Hay que dejarlo practicar m\u00c3\u00a1s.<\/p>\n
Pedro rode\u00c3\u00b3 el rostro del hombre con ojos de conejo perseguido por lobo.<\/p>\n
__\u00c2\u00bfUsted est\u00c3\u00a1 seguro de lo que dice?<\/p>\n
El hombre sonri\u00c3\u00b3 y se pas\u00c3\u00b3 la mano izquierda por el codo derecho.<\/p>\n
__Hace unos cuantos a\u00c3\u00b1os, yo tambi\u00c3\u00a9n fui pitcher en la categor\u00c3\u00ada infantil. Un d\u00c3\u00ada nos llam\u00c3\u00b3 el manager y nos dijo: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ma\u00c3\u00b1ana viene a dictarles una cl\u00c3\u00adnica el pitcher profesional Isa\u00c3\u00adas L\u00c3\u00a1tigo Ch\u00c3\u00a1vez\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Esa noche casi no dorm\u00c3\u00ad. El L\u00c3\u00a1tigo Ch\u00c3\u00a1vez. Ese lanzador que siempre nombraban Delio Amado Le\u00c3\u00b3n y Carlitos Gonz\u00c3\u00a1lez en la radio. El pitcher del Magallanes. El que hab\u00c3\u00ada llegado a las Grandes Ligas con los Gigantes de San Francisco, iba a estar con nosotros en el campo. So\u00c3\u00b1\u00c3\u00a9 que le hac\u00c3\u00ada mil preguntas. La ma\u00c3\u00b1ana siguiente mam\u00c3\u00a1 me tuvo que traer de la parada del autob\u00c3\u00bas porque yo dec\u00c3\u00ada que me iba a perder la cl\u00c3\u00adnica del L\u00c3\u00a1tigo. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Muchacho, si no desayunas, te vas a desmayar antes que empieces a jugar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Despu\u00c3\u00a9s cuando llegamos al estadio, lo vimos con su uniforme blanco de letras negras y anaranjadas que dec\u00c3\u00ada \u00e2\u20ac\u0153San Francisco\u00e2\u20ac\u009d en el pecho y una gorra negra con una S y una F entrelazadas. De inmediato hicimos un c\u00c3\u00adrculo alrededor de \u00c3\u00a9l. Empez\u00c3\u00b3 a escarbar con los ganchos del spike a un lado de la goma de lanzar. Al principio est\u00c3\u00a1bamos como paralizados, las palabras no sal\u00c3\u00adan. Hasta que el L\u00c3\u00a1tigo empez\u00c3\u00b3 a hablar tan emocionado como cualquiera de nosotros, dijo \u00e2\u20ac\u0153palota\u00e2\u20ac\u009d en vez de pelota y empezamos a reirnos.<\/p>\n
Lo primero que nos dijo fue que la comunicaci\u00c3\u00b3n es fundamental \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Primero tienen que entenderse muy bien con el catcher, desarrollar un lenguaje particular con se\u00c3\u00b1as, miradas y palabras en clave. Despu\u00c3\u00a9s nunca olvidar que este es un juego de equipo, antes venir para la goma hay que mirar hacia los 7 compa\u00c3\u00b1eros que est\u00c3\u00a1n detr\u00c3\u00a1s y si es necesario mejorar su ubicaci\u00c3\u00b3n.<\/p>\n
Despu\u00c3\u00a9s otro compa\u00c3\u00b1ero le pregunt\u00c3\u00b3 como hac\u00c3\u00ada para poner la pelota donde quer\u00c3\u00ada. El L\u00c3\u00a1tigo subi\u00c3\u00b3 al mont\u00c3\u00adculo y se qued\u00c3\u00b3 mirando un punto sobre el home. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tienen que concentrarse. Despu\u00c3\u00a9s cuando levanten el pie apunten hacia la mascota del catcher, llevan la pelota sobre la gorra y \u00c2\u00a1Zas! la sueltan a toda mecha\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
Un zurdito que amarraba la malla de su guante con trenzas de zapato, dio dos pasos hacia el morrito. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfY como haces para estar tranquilo cuando todo el estadio te grita, como en un Caracas-Magallanes?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Me imagino que estoy en una playa solitaria de Margarita y dejo de oir cualquier ruido, s\u00c3\u00b3lo veo las se\u00c3\u00b1as y la mascota del catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
El L\u00c3\u00a1tigo hizo un lanzamiento que pas\u00c3\u00b3 como un metro por encima de la gorra del catcher. Un ni\u00c3\u00b1o levant\u00c3\u00b3 la mano. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfSi uno hace varios lanzamientos y todos pasan lejos del catcher, eso significa que no es bueno para ser pitcher?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d El L\u00c3\u00a1tigo baj\u00c3\u00b3 del mont\u00c3\u00adculo y dio dos palmadas en el hombro del ni\u00c3\u00b1o. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Si te gusta ser pitcher, eso significa que tienes un mundo en la bola y que necesitas practicar m\u00c3\u00a1s\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. El ni\u00c3\u00b1o sonri\u00c3\u00b3 y meti\u00c3\u00b3 la mano derecha en el guante\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
Pedro se qued\u00c3\u00b3 mirando el mech\u00c3\u00b3n gris a un costado de los cabellos del hombre. La sonrisa se le mezclaba con un temblor en los labios.<\/p>\n
>__\u00c2\u00bfSeguro que el L\u00c3\u00a1tigo dijo eso?<\/p>\n
__Tan seguro como que despu\u00c3\u00a9s le pidi\u00c3\u00b3 la mascota al catcher y le recibi\u00c3\u00b3 varios lanzamientos en strike al euf\u00c3\u00b3rico ni\u00c3\u00b1o.<\/p>\n
Pedro dio dos silbidos y grit\u00c3\u00b3.<\/p>\n
__Vamos Juanchi que t\u00c3\u00ba si puedes.<\/p>\n
English Translation<\/strong><\/p>\n Pedro watched anxiously the way the little kid kept throwing the same delivery and the ball passed far away from the catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mitt. With each delivery, Pedro stepped one more stair down in the tribune. The kid\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s teammates shouted at him from the dugout. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get out from there Juan. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a bad pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n Some breeze raised several papers in vortex behind second base. Juan took off his glove. He sank his gaze among the laces of his shoes. He put his fingers by the neck\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sweat and rubbed the ball until seizing the leather. As the manager raised Juan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s chin and explained him how to grab the ball or to raise the leg, a 50-year-old man got closer to Pedro that was at the stair next to the field.<\/p>\n __Are you the pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dad?<\/p>\n Pedro watched how Juan finished throwing again the ball over the catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head. He looked for a while at the gray hair of the guy.<\/p>\n __Yes. It seems to me that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have to look for another position.<\/p>\n The guy touched twice Pedro\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shoulder with his palm.<\/p>\n __It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too soon to consider that. He needs more practice.<\/p>\n Pedro rounded the guy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face with eyes of a rabbit pursued by a wolf.<\/p>\n __Are you sure of what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re saying?<\/p>\n The guy smiled while touched his right elbow with his left hand.<\/p>\n __Some years ago I was also a pitcher in the Little League. One day the manager called us. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tomorrow the professional ballplayer Isa\u00c3\u00adas \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Latigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Ch\u00c3\u00a1vez will come to talk with you about pitching. I almost didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sleep that night. That pitcher who Carlitos Gonz\u00c3\u00a1lez and Delio Amado Le\u00c3\u00b3n always mentioned in the radio broadcast. The Magallanes Navigators pitcher. The one who had arrived to the Big Show with the San Francisco Giants. He was going to be with us in the field. I dreamed I made him a thousand questions. The next morning my Mom had to bring me back from the bus stop because I was saying that I would be late for the Latigo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s speech. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My boy, if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat your breakfast, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll feel very weak and won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be able to play ball\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Afterwards, when we arrived to the stadium, we saw him with his white uniform of black and orange letters that read \u00e2\u20ac\u0153San Francisco\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on the chest. And a black cap with an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153S\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153F\u00e2\u20ac\u009d mixed. We immediately made a circle around him. He began to take some ground out with his spike from a side of the pitching box. At first we were paralyzed. We couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talk a word. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153L\u00c3\u00a1tigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d began to talk so excited as any of us. He said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153gove\u00e2\u20ac\u009d instead of glove. We started to laugh. The first thing he told us was that communicating was essential. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You first have to understand very well with the catcher, you have to develop a particular language with signs, gazes and codified words. Then you always must remember that baseball is a team game. Before throwing the ball to the catcher you have to look behind for your other seven teammates and if it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s necessary you should improve their positioning.<\/p>\n Later on, a teammate asked him how did he manage to put the ball where he wanted. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153L\u00c3\u00a1tigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d got on the mound and kept looking at a point over home-plate. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You have to concentrate. Then when you raise the leg, point with the spike to the catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mitt, take the ball over the cap and \u00c2\u00a1Pop!, you release it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n A little southpaw who tied the net of his glove with shoe laces, advanced two steps to the mound. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How do you do to remain relaxed when everybody in the park is shouting at you like in a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcCaracas-Magallanes\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 game?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I imagine that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in a solitary beach at the Margarita Island. That way I got isolated from any noise. I only see the signs and the catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mitt.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Latigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d made a throwing that went 3 feet over the catcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cap. A kid raised his hand. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If a pitcher made some deliveries and all of them go away from the catcher, that means the he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a bad pitcher?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Latigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d got down from the mound and gave 2 pats on the kid\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shoulder. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you like being a pitcher, that means that you have a great fastball and you need more practice.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The kid smiled and put his hand inside the glove.<\/p>\n Pedro kept looking at the grey zone on the guy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head. His smile got mixed with a trembling in his lips.<\/p>\n __Are you sure The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153L\u00c3\u00a1tigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said that?<\/p>\n __As sure as The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Latigo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked the catcher for the mitt and received from the euphoric kid some deliveries in strike.<\/p>\n Pedro whistled two times and shouted.<\/p>\n __ Come on Juanchi. You can do it!<\/p>\n Alfonso is a writer whose work has been featured in Venezuela\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s daily newspaper, <\/em>El Nacional and in the magazine <\/em>Gente en Ambiente, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s collaborated on several articles for newspapers, including the daily paper <\/em>Tal Cual. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also written three books and biographies for SABR\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s BioProject.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pedro observaba inquieto la forma como el ni\u00c3\u00b1o repet\u00c3\u00ada el lanzamiento y la pelota pasaba\u00c2\u00a0 muy lejos de la mascota del catcher. A cada lanzamiento el se\u00c3\u00b1or bajaba un escal\u00c3\u00b3n en la tribuna. Desde el dugout se o\u00c3\u00adan los gritos de los compa\u00c3\u00b1eros de equipo. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sal de ah\u00c3\u00ad Juan. Eres malo como pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Un viento […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[5017,5019,5020,5009,145,5026,5018,5012,5013,5015,5022,4721,5016,5025,5023,5021,5010,5011,5014,5024],"class_list":["post-3472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-codo","tag-cuello","tag-cuero","tag-del-magallanes","tag-dugout","tag-el-campo","tag-el-sudor","tag-gigantes-de-san-francisco","tag-guante","tag-hombro","tag-la-mirada","tag-la-tribuna","tag-las-grandes-ligas","tag-lobo","tag-los-dedos","tag-los-gritos","tag-mano-izquierda","tag-segunda-base","tag-trenzas","tag-zapatos"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t